Field of the Invention: The present invention relates generally to compositions and methods for decontaminating surfaces and, more specifically, to compositions and methods for decontamination using a composition capable of generating a long lasting foam.
State of the Art: Several countries and international groups, many of them hostile to the United States and its allies, currently possess or are seeking to develop the capability to produce nuclear, biological and/or chemical weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and the means to deliver them. Many of these countries and international groups also advocate terrorism as a means to achieve their goals. In order to respond to the threat of terrorism using WMDs, responding agencies at all levels of government (i.e., local, state, and federal) must be adequately prepared to mitigate the hazards to the public and the environment in a timely manner. A particular problem to date has been the manner of cleaning up the potentially toxic residue from terrorist events.
Radiological devices such as nuclear weapons and “dirty bombs” represent an increasingly dangerous threat to society, particularly when they contain radiological materials with long half lives. It is vital that when radiological materials are released from such devices that they be quickly and easily cleaned up. Once released, radiological materials present a decontamination problem when deposited on the surfaces of various buildings, equipment, and vehicles, or on the ground.
Biological agents are typically particulate in nature and present a significant hazard, long after an attack, through formation of secondary aerosols that mat be inhaled. Further, biological agents may adhere to surfaces or be repositioned in the underlying environment and remain hazardous if disturbed. Thus, biological materials present a continuing decontamination problem when deposited on the surfaces of various buildings, equipment, and vehicles, or on the ground.
Chemical warfare agents may also be long lasting in the environment and many classes of persistent and semi-persistent agents exist. As a consequence, chemical warfare agents may pose a continuing hazard when deposited on the surfaces of various buildings, equipment, and vehicles, or on the ground.
Clearly, there is a need for a long lasting formulation that is stable, non-toxic to personnel and the environment, and can support a variety of decontamination chemicals selected based on the contamination to be countered. Further, the formulation should be easy to transport to a site in a substantially aqueous medium and be capable of coating surfaces, including vertical surfaces, for long enough periods of time to begin effective decontamination.